Information about the city of Moscow
Status: the capital of the Russian Federation, the city of federal
importance, administrative center of the Central Federal District and Moscow
region, city-hero.
Moscow is situated in the center of European Russia, in the interfluve
of Oka and Volga river, at the junction of Smolensk-Moscow upland (in the west),
Moskworetsk-Oka plain (in the east) and Meshchersk lowland (in the south-east).
The city area had 1081 sq.km. in the year 2006, and that made it the smallest subject
of the Russian Federation.
Phone code: +7 495 *******
Economy.
Moscow is the largest in Russia financial center and the center of
management for the most part of the state economy. So, for example, about the half
of the banks, registered in the country, have headquarters in Moscow. Besides, the
most part of the largest companies are registered and have head offices in Moscow,
though their production may locate in thousands kilometers from the capital.
The city is the biggest center of machinebuilding including power-plant
engineering, machine tool building, shipbuilding, instrument making; ferrous and
non-ferrous metallurgy (production of aluminium alloys), chemical, light and polygraphic
industry. But it is worth to mention that during the last years the process of
production transferal beyond the city borders is under way.
Industrial production in 2007 increased at 11,5 % in Moscow, retail trade
turnover made up 2040,3 milliard rubles (compared to 2006 the growth is 105.1 %),
wholesale trade turnover made up 7843,2 milliard rubles (compared to 2006 the
growth is 122.3 %), the pay services volume is 814,5 milliard rubles (this is
24 % of the whole volume of services in Russia).
Transport.
Moscow historically turned out to be the largest transport junction of the country.
The city is located in the very heart of the railway and federal roads network.
There are nine railway stations in the capital: Byelorussky, Kazansky,
Kursky, Kievsky, Rizhsky, Savelovsky and Yaroslavsky are operating on the Moscow
Railway Lines and Leningradsky - on the Oktyabrskaya Railway Lines. The total length
of the railways within the city limits is 782,1 kilometers. Thanks to the system
of channels Moscow is the port of five seas. Cruise ships are based in the North
and South river passenger terminals and cargo ships are served in the South and
North river ports. West river port is operating as an auxiliary cargo port.
Moscow has several international airports: Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo;
regional airport Bykovo, there is an air terminal. From the recent times one can
get to Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports not only by automotive transport, which is
often problematic because of the traffic jams, but also by expresses that
start from Kievsky and Paveletsky railway stations correspondingly.
There is an extensive network of public transport in Moscow: routs of buses,
trolleybuses, trams which carry about 12 millions of passengers dayly (4,2 milliard a year).
Culture.
Moscow Kremlin is the historical center of the city. The present day form of
the walls and towers of the fortress was created in XVII century. Nowadays the
Kremlin is the residence of the President of Russia and there are numerous cathedrals
and museums on its territory. Moscow Kremlin ensemble is recognized as the world
heritage of UNESCO. Access to Kremlin is limited by the museum zones.
From the east the Kremlin is adjacent to the Red Square - the most famous
square of the capital. It is encircled by Pokrovsky Cathedral, Midlle Shopping
Streets, GUM (department store) building, Cathedral of the God Mother of Kazan,
Voskresenskie Vorota (gates), guiding the way to Manege Square, Historical Museum.
The square adjoins Nikolskaya, Senatskaya and the most famous - Spasskaya tower
with chimes, which struck the bells in the heart of the capital every hour and
every half hour. Near the Kremlin wall there is necropolis (memorial cemetery)
and Lenin's Mausoleum. There is also a place of execution and monument to Minin
and Pozharsky. With the exception of special occasions (highly placed official
corteges passing through Spasskie Vorota (gates), preparations to festive events, routine
maintenance works etc.), the square has round-the-clock public access.
Among the great many city sightseeings a number of unique site and buildings
can be marked out, which have the world fame and are well known to every Moscow
citizen. It should be pointed out that, for the most part, they are not only
buildings that bear architectural exclusiveness and spirit gained during the
time of their existance, but also organizations which created reputation for these
buildings. Without any doubt that Bolshoi Theatre, the company of which is warmly
received on the greatest stages of the world, Fine Art Museum n.a. A.S. Pushkin
and Tretjyakov Gallery, in the collections of which the greatest works of art,
painting and sculpture products are presented, can be ranked among such buildings.
Cannot be disregarded architectural monuments which are numbered among the world
heritage of UNESCO. They are Novodevichy Monastery and Kolomenskoe Estate. Unique
in its art is the hyperboloidal structure of Shukhovskaya Bashnya (tower) and
Ostankino Television Tower, which had the status of the highest building in the
world during eight years.
During the last years Moscow lost many architectural and historical monuments
because they were replaced by inadequate copies such as hotel "Moscow", Manege
buildings, unloading dock of Kievsky station, Voentorg on Vozdvizhenka and many
others less famous detached houses in the center of the city.
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